Improved water-proof fabric



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. GREENE, OF WARWICK, ASSIGNOR TO SAMUEL BOYD TOBEY, OFPROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVED WATER-PROOF FABRIC.

4 Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 35,854, dated July 8,1562.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. GREENE, of Warwick, in the State of RhodeIsland, have invented a new and improved water-proof fabric, which Icall Fur-Cloth, by combining with a surface of india-rubber, either insheets or attached to any textile or felted fabric, the fibers of fur orof disintegrated felted fabrics, as prepared by a process invented by meand patented on the 12th day of April, A, D. 1859. This fiber may alsobe combined with in dia-rubber spread upon leather, and the fabric thusproduced may be called furred leather.

Before my invention many attempts have been made to use fibers of samelength in the manufacture of india rubber fabrics with flocked surfaces;but the difficulties in cansin g them to be attached with suflicienttenacity to the india-rnbber surface and of laying them on evenly and inor nearly in parallel lines, so as to form a nap, have been so greatthat the processes, so far as I have been able to learn, have beenabandoned, and flocks of wool without length of staple and of an almostdusty fineness form the material in general use for covering the surfaceof rubber and giving it the appearance of cloth. Fibers prepared fromfelted fabric or of fur have never, so far as I have been informed, beenused for this purpose. By the use of the fiber which I prepare by mypatented processes, and by the apparatus invented by me formanufacturing my fabrics by one operation, and for which I have this dayapplied for a patent, a smooth, soft, and evenly-mapped surface can beobtained, which can be finished by shearing, dyeing, and pressing, inthe same or similar manner as napped textile fabrics.

When the rubber is prepared, either in sheets or attached to the fabricto be used as a base, in any of the modes known to indiarubbermanufacturers, 1 cause the fiber to be sifted upon the surface of therubber and to be attached to that surface, and to be laid evenly andsmoothly and as nearly as possible in parallel lines upon the same, bymeans of an apparatus invented by me for combining fibrous flocks withindia-rubber surfaces, and for which I have this day applied for LettersPatent.

The several surfaces described in the specification of the patent thusapplied for may be used separately, or other devices well-known torubber-manufacturers may be used for the purpose of performing portionsof the process required for the completion of the manufacture; but thecombination invented by me I have found to be the best for the purpose.

After the fiber is combined bythe operation of the apparatus with thesurface of the rubber fabric the flocked surface may be subjected toafurther brushing in the common brushing-machine or gig, and may then besheared and dressed like other napped fabrics. The water repellentproperties of this fiber also give the finished article an additionalvalue as a water-proof fabric.

What I claim as my iuvention,and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-- The combination of the disintegrated fibers of felt or fur, asaforesaid, with a surface of iudia-rubber, either in sheets or whenattached toa base of textile or felted fabrics or to leather, so as toform a new evenly-trapped water-proof fabric, substantially asdescribed.

JOHN F. GREENE.

Witnesses:

J OHN BISSELL, WM. B. TOBEY.

